By Jonas Terrado
Game Today
(Smart Araneta Coliseum)
6:30 p.m. – Alaska vs San Miguel
Defending champion San Miguel Beer tries to finish off Alaska this time and book its place in the finals tonight in Game 4 of their best-of-five PBA Commissioner’s Cup semifinal series at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Alaska denied San Miguel of sweeping their series on Friday night with a convincing 125-104 victory that gave the Aces further belief that a stirring comeback from a 0-2 deficit is a mere myth.
Beermen coach Leo Austria can only hope for the best after a lackluster showing by his players in a game marred by 20 turnovers in the third game held at the Ynares Center in Antipolo City.
“We did not play our game, we played their game,” Austria rued after Game 3. “We hope to come out and play with energy in our next game.”
A victory puts San Miguel in the finals for the second straight conference and seventh since Austria took charge in 2015 against the winner of the other semis series between Rain or Shine and Barangay Ginebra.
Rain or Shine and Ginebra were disputing a 2-1 lead in their best-of-five affair last night at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Almost all players Alaska coach Alex Compton inserted stepped up as reserves Nonoy Baclao, Jake Pascual and Abel Galliguez provided the needed lift to compliment main weapons Diamon Simpson and Vic Manuel to name a few.
Though repeating their Game 3 effort may not be enough for them to force a series decider on Tuesday, Compton wants nothing more than to see another determined outlook from his wards.
“That’s the only thing I want from them is that we fight until the end,” Compton said.
Renaldo Balkman and June Mar Fajardo, responsible for San Miguel’s two wins in the series, will be tasked to play bigger roles while more is expected from Arwind Santos, Alex Cabagnot, Chris Ross, Marcio Lassiter and rookie Christian Standhardinger after quiet outings.
Manuel, meanwhile, looks to build on his 25-point showing – his best output of the series – while Simpson vows to play through an injured ankle sustained in Monday’s Game 2 loss.
“Still a little bothersome but we’re working hard on it. It will get better,” said Simpson.
